A new law protecting the rights of caravanners in Northern Ireland against unscrupulous site owners is due to come into force this week.

Nidirect.gov.uk reports the law includes the "right to have a written contract and to have a greater say in how a caravan is run".

All caravan park owners in Northern Ireland will now have to issue written agreements to all caravan owners pitching up on their site. Verbal contracts had been the norm previously, but an increasing number of disputes have forced the government's hand and written contracts are now mandatory.

This is good news for caravanners looking for dispute-free campsites and also for campsite owners, who can protect their land from any opportunistic caravanners.

Moreover, caravan owners will also have more of a say when it comes to the contract they have for their pitch. No longer will caravan owners have adhere to landowner's demands - such as charging commission on a vehicle sale or vetting potential buyers - even if this was not agreed in a verbal contract beforehand.

According to northernireland.gov.uk: "The introduction of the Act means that if a park owners fails to give any express term in writing then that term will not be legally enforceable against the caravan owner."

The new Act will benefit approximately 13,500 holiday caravan owners currently renting pitches in the area.